Look After You
by Child of the Dragon
Summary: It's Alex's birthday and all he really wants is to fool around with his shiny new boyfriend. Too bad the stitches in his side make it really hard for him to be bounced around like he wants. Guess he'll just have to convince John to give him a show instead. 20/28 in the For Your Entertainment Series


**A/N: This is a sequel to _For Your Entertainment_ and it's meant to take place a month after the end of that fic. FYE is still a work in progress, and while I have tried to write this in such a way as to keep some things secret, the bottom line is that this story will contain spoilers. Sooooo, read at your own risk.**

John walked down the baking isle and carefully picked out the ingredients he would need. He tapped nervously on his basket as he ran through the ingredients in his head. Baking wasn't his strongest point, but as it went hand in hand with general cooking he had a pretty good idea most of the time with what he was doing. He just couldn't recall if he needed baking soda or baking powder...

" _Mon amie_ , are we almost done?" Lafayette pretended to whine as he set his chin on John's shoulder. As usual, John ignored him and his invasion of personal space. Right now it was more of a comfort then it had ever been. " _Le petit lion_ will begin to get suspicious if you take to long to decide. And he will be grouchy if we do not take him food soon."

" _Un moment de plus_ ," John muttered. God he wished Alex had told him in advance that today was his freaking birthday, instead of just rolling over and waking him up with that damn information. John was a planner, he needed to plan for things, just like his mother had always taught him. Alex and Lafayette, they were spontaneous doers, the people who could be given 30 minute notice that they had to host a dinner party for 20 people and pull that shit off flawlessly like they'd been planning it all freaking month. Give John a month to do the same and he'd spend every waking moment nervously picking over little details as it all came together. Give John 30 minutes and depending on his mood you'd get laughed at and told no or outright stabbed. Shaking his head he just grabbed both the powder and the soda, tossing them unceremoniously into the basket. It's not like he couldn't use both of them for other things later and he could check when he got home. "Okay, all I should need now is the strawberries and we'll be right as rain."

Lafayette kissed at the back of his friend's shoulder before pulling away and spinning to stand next to him. Before he could stop himself, John reached over and took hold of Lafayette's hand. The French man glanced down at their intertwined fingers and then back at the too-focused-on-where-he-was-going look John had on his face and decided to say nothing as John led them to the produce section and then wove them about until they found the berries. But as they stood there, hand-in-hand with John peering at the cartons of fruit and trying to determine which held the best strawberries, Lafayette gently squeezed John's hand and brought his own attention down to the fact that they were holding hands again.

John looked confused for a moment then let go. "Oh, sorry, Laf," he said awkwardly fiddling with his now free hand. That was the third time since they'd left the apartment.

"You do not need to apologize, of course I do not mind."

"I do. We're not together anymore, right?" John took a small step away from Lafayette. "I really need to learn to stop doing these things with you. It could upset Alex..."

"We are friends, Alex will understand."

"Yes, but we're also ex-boyfriends. I don't want him to think I'd cheat on him."

"So do not cheat on him. Holding someone's hand is not cheating."

He sighed and rubbed at his face. "Please don't do this to me right now, Laf. Look, Alex and I are still...settling into _a lot_ of changes in both our lives right now. We've only been together a full month and now we're sharing an apartment, he's jobless and unable to work, I've been disowned from my family until further notice but probably forever, so just...not _now_ okay? Not right now, _please_!" John grabbed three of the stupid plastic cartons of strawberries and chucked them into his hand basket, then turned and headed for the check out area.

Lafayette wandered over a moment later to the line John was waiting in and held up a small bouquet of pink roses. John sighed exasperatedly as he realized he'd almost walked out without picking those up. "It is going to be okay, _mon amie_ ," Lafayette said as he rubbed at John's back with his free hand. "You care very much for Alex, he will see that. What has you so worried?"

"What if he doesn't like this?" John fretted. "What if he doesn't like me? And what if he's only with me right now because it would be more convenient for him to stay then leave? I mean, I'm taking care of him sure, but I'm the reason he got hurt. I'm the reason he doesn't have a job anymore. I've jeopardized his education, everything in his entire life!"

"John, you are not to blame for any of those things. These are thoughts that bad man put in your head to make you weak; if you dwell on them you keep that man in Alex's life, do you want that?"

John frantically shook his head, but the tears were already welling in his eyes despite his stubborn grimace not to give into them. "I'm just so scared Alex is gunna go back when he's better. He's told me he's scared he doesn't have enough skills to get a regular job now, and what will we do then? My job doesn't make enough to cover everything and put us both back in school—"

"Then let me pay for school and housing," Lafayette said. "Really, you know money is of little concern to me. But John, can you please hear yourself? Alex is only 20 years old, he just thinks like he is older. He can learn more skills, no one is expecting him to come highly recommended."

"He thinks he needs to."

Lafayette chuckled. "You know, you think that of yourself sometimes too. You are enough. He is enough. You will be fine, _mon amie_. Trust me, everything will be fine now." He wrapped his arms around his friend and hugged him, kissing the side of John's temple once before letting him go so they could shuffle forward and put their things on the conveyor belt. "I can do the talking, if you would like?" he offered in a low whisper while John was wiping away tears from his eyes as they waited for the transaction ahead of them to finish.

John shook his head with a little grunt. "I can do this," he replied.

Lafayette nodded with a small smile. It was good to see that John was finally applying some of that inner strength to himself for a change, whereas before anytime Lafayette had made that offer John gladly yielded the spotlight and slipped away into the safety of the shadows. Or maybe, Lafayette had just been too bold to let John do these things for himself all the times before. Either way, it was good to see him smile and make small chat with the cashier on his own so close to a moment of vulnerability. He was healing and that was enough for Lafayette's heart.

* * *

"Alex?" John called into the apartment as he and Lafayette carried the groceries into the sparse living space.

"In here," his boyfriend called back from down the short hall and John assumed he was still in the bedroom where he'd left him that morning. John carried his share of bags straight through to the kitchen area, Lafayette on his heels with every thing else. For such a small shopping trip the cashier had given them so many bags to take home, and double bagged everything to boot. His French friend was muttering something about how so many plastic bags were unnecessary but John hardly heard him.

"I'm gunna check on Alex real fast," John said. "Can you just pull out the cold stuff and put it away?"

" _Oui_ ," Lafayette said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Go and check on _votre amant_. I will be here to slave away because my honor is to be your obedient servant."

"I'll be back before you know I'm gone."

"I'll bet you I will have put everything away before you even realize you have been gone too long," Lafayette said with a smile. "Give him kisses from me."

John left the kitchen and made his way down the tiny hallway, but as he peeked into the bedroom he shared with Alex his momentary contentment with life vanished in a snap as he did not see Alex laying in the bed like he was supposed to be. "Alex?" he called again, his voice raised a notch in slight panic.

"Present," the voice replied in a slight sing song manner, reminiscent of the a children's game. This time John realized it was coming from the bathroom, who's door was left slightly a jar. John knocked against it gently and asked if Alex was decent, receiving a laugh in return. "Not exactly, but I could probably use a little help..." John leaned his head in, and found Alex sitting on the toilet with his pants around his ankles. "I...had to go to the bathroom but I kinda got stuck..."

"Alex, you aren't supposed to be moving without me here to help," John said worriedly. He quickly entered the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

"I know, but I had to go and I you can't just sit here with me all the time..." Alex said. "Don't worry, I've only been here like ten minutes..."

John offered Alex his arm to grab and bent to wrap the other one around Alex's back, same way the doctors had shown them, same way they'd been doing for a little over two weeks now. "Three, two, one, go!" and they moved together fluidly, though still not without the momentary small cry of pain from Alex that was nearly customary at this point. It hurt John to hear it every time, but he'd also noticed the amount of wincing had decreased, if only slightly.

Alex could sit or stand on his own, but he needed help moving from one position to the other thanks to the wonderful new hole in his abdomen that started just under the last rib on his left and pierced straight through him to the other side. The rib was more or less okay, but had suffered a minor chip which was a bitch to deal with and then, oh yeah having your muscles torn up on the inside didn't make for a very fun time moving around at all. His walking was certainly more labored, but even more irksome was that Alex just couldn't do much right now if it involved bending or twisting. He took a tiny step and turned to lean against the counter for support, allowing John to clean him thoroughly as he always did. He was about to say his usual thanks, as he always did when John looked after him, but was stopped when he felt his boyfriend's lips pressed against the rump of one cheek. With a smirk, Alex asked, "are you kissing my ass back there?"

"It's your birthday," John replied, as he began pulling Alex's sweats back up his legs. "I figured a little ass kissing was in order." He kept his hands on Alex's hips once he was done and stepped close to him, feeling Alex lean back into him. John wrapped his arms carefully around his boyfriend and kissed the neck Alex exposed to him, filling his nose with Alex's scent. John noted silently that Alex would probably need a shower later, or at the very least a sponge bath. He quietly began calculating how fast he would need everything to be ready by if he wanted to get Alex washed up in time, and judging if it was worth it. He could ask Laf to mind the stove once everything was simmering, that wouldn't be hard...he could also just ask their friends to be understanding if Alex smelled a little...

"What's the matter?" Alex asked him seemingly out of the blue.

"Nothing," John replied habitually.

"Bull," Alex said. "I can see your face in the mirror."

John peeked up and saw immediately what Alex was talking about. His brow was furrowed, his lips drawn in a slight frown. He sighed and kissed Alex again, then went for his cheek. "Don't take this the wrong way, my love, but you need a shower."

"Ugh!" Alex protested like a child, as he always did. A shower under normal circumstances he could handle, but with his limited mobility John had taken to helping him shower which usually went something along the lines of them both stripping down, then John would sit Alex on an overturned bucket they had right under the water while he lathered up a washcloth and wiped Alex down. Then he'd turn the water off, throw a towel over him and tell Alex no less then 30 times to be careful as he helped him step out of the tub to dry off and redress. It sounded fun in theory, but Alex saw the nervous way John's hand shook the entire time he was undressed, or the way he tried to keep the inner most parts of his legs, where his self-harm scars where the heaviest, hidden. A shower was no fun for Alex because in short it wasn't a particularly fun experience for John either. And sponge baths weren't much better, with Alex sitting on the bucket naked by himself and John still wiping him down with a lathered up washcloth, only it was cold cuz Alex was just sitting in the open. If they were gunna get naked and wet Alex thought they should at least have fun with it...

"Uuuugh!" Alex whined again, and pushed his hips back against John's, looking for a little friction.

"Doctor said you couldn't do any of that for another week," John murmured against his ear.

"Screw what the doctor said, it's my birthday!" Alex pouted. "If you're gunna strip me down and slick me up I wanna get ridden."

"Until you hurt yourself more, or open your stitches," John minded. "Believe me, I want to as well, but we shouldn't while you're still healing."

"UuuuUUUuuuUUUuuugh!" Alex whined again, but he knew John was right. Just standing there was starting to hurt for Alex. "Fine, then drag me back to the dungeon that is our bedroom and leave me to rot!" he sighed dramatically. John smiled as he kissed him again and helped him turn around.

"You're going to be fine. Look, you're already well enough to pout and complain," John teased. "I predict that you're gunna make a full recovery."

"Uh-huh," Alex replied, too focused on not moving his torso as he walked back to bed and tolerating the pain that came with any movement. John helped him lower himself back onto the bed, still with that gasp of pain from muscles that did not want to strain themselves in their wounded state. He bit his lip against anymore outward protests, even tho scooting back into a comfortable laying position was what really make the little stars dance around behind his eyes. As soon as John was hoisting his legs up onto the bed tho, Alex breathed a sigh of relief. He felt John brush his loose hair from his face and he tried to smile at him to show that he was okay now.

"Want another percocet?" John asked him.

"No," Alex said. "Too much and it makes me feel nauseated. Besides, I really don't want to be addicted to the shit when the prescription runs out."

"You're not gunna be addicted to it if you take it as prescribed," John said. He pulled the covers up over Alex, tucking him in and petting his face some more. "Hey Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"If you really loved me you'd give me a blowjob for my birthday," Alex replied with a smirk. He laughed some at how red comments like that still made John, even though it was painful right then to do so.

"How about I make it up to you with two blowjobs next birthday?"

"You missed Christmas too," Alex pretended to whine. "I'm feeling very unloved by my boyfriend. He's just using me for a warm body pillow and, and, a witty banter-er!"

"You'd literally JUST gotten out of the hospital! You had more trouble moving on your own then than you do now!" John cried, mockingly indignant to Alex's words. "And I am not just using you for a warm body pillow, or whatever the hell a banter-wer-er is."

"Banter-er, Banteree, someone who banters. Hey John?"

"Yes?"

"I love you too."

John leaned in and kissed Alex, his tongue swirling around inside his boyfriend's mouth. Alex chased him back with his own and wrapped his arms around John's neck, pulling him closer, feeling the heat from the other male. Oh, John wanted to straddle Alex, pull down his sweatpants again and tease him without mercy; first with his hands rubbing up and down Alex's cock, and then with his mouth while Alex moaned and begged above him. He hand half a mind to do it, but he knew better. Any squirming would hurt. Any tightening of those abdomen muscles would spark those gasps of pain that John hated. And he hated even more that the one thing Alex wanted from him was basically being denied. He just wanted Alex to understand how much he loved him, how much he wished he really could.

A soft knock on the door broke them apart reluctantly, and Lafayette stood in their bedroom doorway with a small smirk on his face. "I finished putting your groceries away, mon amie. Whatever happened to 'I will be back'?" he asked.

"Sorry, Alex just needed some help."

"Uh-huh, sure he did," Lafayette said. "What did Alex need help with?"

"A Blowjob!" Alex yelled, grinning mischievously as Lafayette laughed out loud and John stuttered trying to find a reply. "Laaaaf, tell my boyfriend I deserve a blowjob for my birthday!"

"Oh _non non_ , _mon amie_ , I know far better then to put myself between two lovers fighting," Lafayette replied. "Besides, I must steal John away from you if he is to get that thing ready?" And Lafayette tapped at his wrist to indicate that they needed to think of the time.

"Right!" John said perking up. "Umm, do you need anything else right now, Alex?" he asked, once more donning the concerned boyfriend look.

"What thing?" Alex asked. "What's going on?"

"A surprise," John replied. "One I'm gunna need to bathe you for later. So don't fight me like a tomcat about it, okay?"

"A surprise for meeeee?" Alex said grinning. "What is iiiit?"

"If I tell you it wouldn't be a surprise."

"If you tell me, I'll still act surprised."

Lafayette snorted. "You worked in porn, _mon cher_. Your acting is not very good." Alex blew him a raspberry. "But really, if John wants to do this thing, he needs to get started now. I am sorry to take him away from you."

"Uuungh!" Alex whined. "Fine. I'll just be here, all alone, in the cold, unloving darkness."

"You're so needy today," John said.

"It's my birthday. The one day of the year I'm allowed to be as whiny and needy and clingy as I want and everyone around me has to listen."

"Well, then you will want to give John two hours to do what he needs to do," Lafayette said, gesturing for his friend to come away with him. "Then I am sure you will enjoy being the center of attention he will lavish upon you."

"We'll be right in the kitchen, and we'll leave the door open," John told Alex. "Call out if you need anything. But try to get some rest, okay?"

"Okay," Alex said. He pulled the hand John was petting him with from his head and kissed it then let his boyfriend leave him alone in the room. John was right anyhow, he needed some rest. He closed his eyes and tried to relax, willing away the dull pain in his side and the feeling that the year was off to one hell of a shitty start.

* * *

"There!" John cried happily. "Finally done!"

Lafayette turned from the pot he was minding to look at John's handiwork. The three layer cake sat on a wide stand, sliced strawberries and thick hand-whipped vanilla cream sandwiched each of the devil's food layers. Diced strawberries topped the cake, framed in a circle of perfectly proportioned dabs of cream all around. Then drizzled lightly over everything was a dark chocolate strawberry gauche Simple and yet elegant, the way John always made things appear when he was really putting his heart into the food he prepared. Lafayette smiled as his friend turned the stand, biting his own bottom lip and he scrutinized it for imperfections, as if anyone would care if a single strawberry was not absolutely perfectly placed. "You have done well, _mon amie_ ," he praised, hoping to offset some of John's nervous energy.

"You think so?" John asked, squinting at the cake. "It's not too over the top? It's not too much?"

" _Non_ ," the French man said. John never fished for compliments. He was either confident enough in his work not to need them or genuinely scared he'd fucked up somehow because he was trying _really_ hard to impress someone important to him; there really wasn't any in between. "It looks _délicieux_ , I cannot wait to taste it."

"You, me, Alex," John counted off on his fingers. "Thomas, James, Angelica, Eliza, Peggy...Mr. Washington, and Mr. Mulligan..."

"Heh, and Mr. Mulligan's wife and their five children," Lafayette said with a little grin, feeling only mildly guilty for the way John snapped his head around to look at him then. "I am kidding, John. I told him to please bring the wife if she felt so inclined, but that this would be an adult party."

"Uugh!" John hissed feeling all at once stressed. "I calculated for ten people, not eleven! What if it's not enough food?"

"John, look at me," Lafayette demanded. "I am stirring eight pounds of spaghetti. You have made three pounds each of three different sauces to go with it. There is four pounds of salad in your fridge, five different dressings you will offer, and four baguettes of garlic bread toasting in your oven, and that cake. I have been to black tie events for more people that serve less food, you will not fail to impress everyone here tonight. Deep breaths, _mon amour_. You are going to be okay."

"But what if—" John started, but his friend held up a single finger to stop him.

"Then we will eat them." Lafayette resumed stirring his pot. "Besides, Eliza is eating for two now, remember? You should have been counting for eleven all along."

John frowned hard at that. He really liked Eliza, even given all their recent history, but the idea that she was carrying Alex's child made him sick to his stomach sometimes. He wanted to get along with her, he knew if he didn't it would only put strain on his relationship with Alex. But sometimes, he really wished...

 _God no!_ No, he did _not_ wish that! That was a horrible thought to have and he should have known better! What the fuck was the matter with him?! What the honest to god _fuck_ was wrong with him that he thought that was okay?!

"Earth to John," Lafayette said, waving his fingers in front of John's face. "Where are you? Come in to earth, John."

"What?" he asked trying to pull himself away from the chastising thoughts in his mind. "I'm sorry, what?"

Lafayette put the spoon down and took hold of John's face, turning it toward him with gentle concern. "You are crying again, _mon cheri_. What has got into your head now? Do you really think this is not enough food?"

"No," John whined and wiped at his face. "I forgot Eliza is pregnant. I just...I think a part of me doesn't want her to be..." He squeezed his eyes to pour the tears out, praying if he got them all out now they wouldn't come up at dinner. "I'm a horrible person, aren't I? For thinking that of her?"

"A woman is carrying your boyfriend's child, no one would fault you for having your jealousies," Lafayette told him. "But you have to remember, _mon cher_ , that treating her with grace and dignity despite these feelings is the best way to relieve them. You are not in competition with her for Alex's affections; he can love you as a lover, her as a friend, and that child as his own."

"I know," John replied. "I just wish things weren't so complicated."

"Since when is life not complicated?" Lafayette said with a small grin. "It does not discriminate between sinners or saints; it is messy, and it happens no matter where you are."

"Yeah, that's exactly what I don't like," John murmured. "If it could just freeze for a moment and leave me and Alex alone to breathe, I'd really appreciate it."

"I know what will cheer you," the French man said with a sly grin. "You need to tend to your boy now, yes? Go, I will watch the rest of the things for you."

"But the noodles, and the bread, and the—"

"I will watch them. Go take care of Alex. Enjoy his company before your company gets here."

John looked for a moment completely torn, but the idea of being near Alex outweighed his need to oversee everything in the kitchen. Well, almost. John made it to the archway of the kitchen before turning around and walking back to where he'd left the cake, carefully moving it into the fridge with help from his friend as he held open the door and moved a few things for him. Then John scurried away, excited by the prospect of seeing Alex.

The man was right where John had left him nearly two hours ago, as he'd expected to find him when they'd first gotten home. Alex was reclined on the props of pillows they kept behind him during the day so he could work or read without much hassle. At some point he'd started in on the book Angelica had lent him, but now it just lay open on his lap, unattended as Alex's eyes were closed and his head tilted lightly to one side. His chest expanded and contracted to the rhythms of his breath, and John took a moment to appreciate the sleepy softness of his boyfriend. But then he thought of how much bitching and whining and general grumpiness Alex displayed at bathing times and John sighed, deciding that he really should get Alex ready before people started showing up. He walked around to Alex's side of the bed and brushed a hand over his cheek.

Alex woke with a sharp inhale, looking up at John in mild alarm at first before relaxing on his exhale. " _Mi amor_ , you scared me." He caught John's hand and kissed it's palm.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," John whispered. "I came to get you ready for a shower."

"Let's do a sponge bath," Alex replied. He wiped at the sleep that had formed in his eyes. "I don't know what you're cooking, but I've been sitting here smelling it for the last hour and I know that whatever it is has your whole heart and soul in it."

"You sure? You always complain about sponge baths being too cold," John said.

"But they're quicker, and require less work of you," Alex countered. "And they won't get you soaking wet with me."

"Okay, only if you're sure..."

"Heh, I'm sure. And I'm the birthday boy, you gotta do what I say."

"Okay, birthday boy, let's get you to stand up, ready?" John helped Alex move into position, offered his arms as leverage and then on the count of three again helped Alex rise up. He noticed this time around that Alex took a minute to adjust after his little gasp of pain. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"With my hands," Alex murmured, trying to crack a smile.

"Alex," John sighed with a small laugh. "I meant with your pain, you silly goof."

"Pain is a silly thing to feel with," Alex said, shuffling to a plastic chair John kept in the corner. "Makes everything hurt, it does. I'd much rather feel with my hands. Much easier that way."

"Okay, new question then, how bad is your pain?"

"I can tolerate it."

"Alex..."

He shrugged as best he could. "It is what it is." He raised his arms as John lifted his shirt then braced himself on the wall as the sweatpants slid down his legs again. He stepped out of them and then carefully turned so he could be lowered into the seat. Another grimace of pain and another sharp gasp and he was situated, at least for a small bath. "Maybe I have a confession..." he started. "Please don't be mad?"

"What is it?" John asked worriedly.

"When I got up earlier...maaaaaybe I put too much strain on myself?"

"Alex!"

"John, it's okay, I'm just a little more sore."

"Are you sure? Should I get you back into bed after this and keep you there the rest of the week?"

"I'll be okay. But you're right," Alex said as he leaned his head against John's stomach, "we shouldn't be bouncing me around on the bed just yet..."

John softened, petting his boyfriend's hair. "Of course not hunny. Are you sure the pain isn't that bad? I can give you half a pill of percocet if it is."

Alex sighed and leaned back in the chair, the pain showing yet again on his face as he did so. It was a dull but constant ache in his side, that flashed sharply every time he had to engage his core muscles or jostled the wound. It didn't feel nearly as bad as it did when the hospital had first released him back into the wild, after he'd been disconnected from the morphine drip and before they had filled his prescription for the pain killers. He'd been moderately drugged since coming home, but Alex just wanted to see what his body felt like without the medication. See the medication made him feel fine, and then he thought he was okay to just get up and do things, and it was frustrating when his body told him it couldn't do these simple things right now because it was injured. That's why he'd forgone taking the pain killers this morning when John brought them to him with breakfast. But now, as his side ached and he was getting a feel for how much he was still incapacitated by his wound, he relented that maybe taking another percocet wasn't such a bad idea with a small nod of his head. "Just half of one tho, let's see how I feel on that..."

"Okay, and you'll take the other half if your pain gets worse, right?"

"It's not going to get worse."

John kissed Alex's forehead and went to fetch what he needed. He returned a moment later, handing Alex a glass of water and the half pill. He left again, and returned with a dishpan of hot soapy water and a towel. "You know what I'm going to do as soon as I get the damn stitches out?" Alex said as John stopped to kneel at his feet.

"Hmm?" John responded, fishing out the washcloth and ringing out most of the excess water.

"Fill our bathtub up and soak in it for six hours."

"You'll be wrinkled like a prune," John said with a small laugh as he lathered the washcloth with the soap bar he pulled from the water. "And look like an old man."

"Will you still love me when I'm old and wrinkly, soaking in cold bath water?"

"I'll love you even when you're old and wrinkly, and we need hospice care to lower you into the bath water to begin with." John started at Alex's shoulders, running the cloth over his boyfriend's skin and leaving wet trails of small bubbles in his wake. For once Alex didn't hem and haw that he should be allowed to do these things for himself, admiring for a moment the way John took care to be gentle but still thorough in his cleaning. Alex silently marveled at how focused he was, polishing his skin with reverence. Maybe it was just because Alex was too hyped up before, or just not used to having someone tend to him like this all the time, but he could swear he'd never felt so subdued in a simple and quiet moment like this. John's eyes caught his as he reached around Alex to rub his back and he smiled in that shy way he did whenever he caught Alex staring at him passively. "Sorry, are you cold hunny?" John asked.

"No," Alex replied softly. "I just don't think it ever occurred to me how much you might like tending to me." He smirked even as John scoffed at him.

"Not really. Sometimes you can be a brat."

"I can be a brat," Alex agreed. "But I'm not right now. And you like this." He hissed lightly as a stray part of the washcloth brushed over the stitches, and John quickly collected the excess cloth in his other hand to keep that from happening again as he moved closer to the wound.

"You gunna make me continue doing this even after you're healed?" John asked, matching the sly smirk Alex had. "You want me to wait on you hand and foot?"

"Not all the time," Alex said. He waited until John was away from his tender abdomen before he added, "You might be a good Domme, if you'd train for it a bit..."

"A what?" John said, looking up at Alex innocently.

"A Domme," Alex repeated. "Dominatrix. Like...like Ben was..." He giggled some at the blush that brought to his boyfriend's face despite the flush of sadness that washed over his own heart. "Oh that's right, you said you never watched those videos..."

"Not the ones you did with other people, no..." John confirmed. He shifted a bit, seeming uncomfortable, then asked, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Do you want to hear about it?" Alex countered.

"I asked you first."

"Your feelings are more important here."

Again John shifted about. Alex wasn't stupid, he knew his years of experience and the vast amount of times he'd had sex, let alone the mile long laundry list of partners he had was intimidating for John. By comparison, Alex wouldn't be surprised if John could name on one hand the amount of people he'd had sex with including Alex himself. But he also knew that putzing around somewhere in their kitchen or living room was Lafayette, one of John's former lovers and Alex felt no threat from how close the two still were with each other. John was with him now, and Alex was with John. If his boyfriend needed gentle reminders of that then Alex would oblige, but he also wasn't going to pretend the last seven years of his sexual history didn't exist.

"No," John said at last. "I don't...I don't want to hear about that...right now..."

"Okay then," Alex replied understandingly.

"But if you _need_ to talk, I'll listen..."

"And I will talk when you are ready to hear me." He cupped John's face and coaxed him closer for a kiss. "What I was trying to tell you John, is that I love how you care for me. It's sweet, and it makes me feel safe. You make me feel safe."

"You...really mean that?"

"Mm-hmm. I really do." John kissed him again, their lips lingering on each others and any attention they had for other things momentarily forgotten. But the sudden sound of Lafayette's voice screaming excitedly from the other room made John pull away with a nervous look. "Do you need to go check on him?" Alex asked then looking perplexed as he thought he heard another voice, a female voice. "Who else is in the apartment?"

John rolled his eyes as the living room went dead silent again. So much for keeping Alex in the dark. "Okay, confession time, here's what I got," John said, "I was gunna throw you a surprise party, and by the sounds of it, those would be out first guests showing up." A moment later they once again heard Lafayette's chatting voice speaking almost too loudly, then go the room cut to silence again. A female's voice was heard asking something and hushed. "He's bad at surprises."

"I see," Alex chuckled. "Well, I'll still act surprised."

"You'd better," John replied coyly. "I went through a lot of trouble. I baked a cake."

"Oh did you?"

"Mmhmm, and cooked dinner."

"Oh myyy."

"And I'm gunna make everyone play your favorite games, Don't Even Get Me Started, and later on when the evening winds down some we can play Scrabble."

"John stop! My penis can only get so hard!"

He laughed at that, but before he could reply they heard Lafayette's voice call, "Just so you are aware, I can hear you in there, _mon amies_. Be careful what you will say."

"Yeah, we can hear you out their too Laf!" Alex shouted back. "And whoever else you've been sneaking into the apartment for me!"

"Alex!" John laughed.

"Well, we might as well finish here and get some pants on me. Actually, fuck it. It's my birthday, right? This is entirely appropriate attire. Let's just wheel me out like this."

John laughed as he resumed washing his boyfriend's legs. "No, this is not appropriate attire for a dinner party, _mon amour_. Tell me what you want to wear tho."

"Jeans, white undershirt, and that green plaid button up that I pretend is a nice shirt. Do I need shoes or can I just wear fuzzy socks?"

"Fuzzy socks are fine. Do you mean that same shirt you wore on our first date?"

"The not-date or the actual date?" Alex asked with a teasing grin.

"You literally wore the same shirt both times," John giggled. He rinsed the wash cloth off and rang it out again, still keeping it slightly damp to run over Alex's body a second time. John tried to be quick about it but as he moved downward Alex caught his hand and moved it to a very personal area. John bit his bottom lip, feeling Alex guide his hand over himself, watching the cloth run over the length of his boyfriend's cock. "We shouldn't," he muttered, but he was already scooting closer. He wanted to as well.

"I can be quiet," Alex said lowly. "You know I can, you asked for the so many times, remember?"

"It's not that," John whispered back, even tho his eyes flicked toward the door. "Won't it hurt you?"

"I'd tell you to stop if it did, John."

He twisted his hand around, repositioning around Alex and again John scooted closer as he licked at his lips. Alex really only expected a hand job, but a minute later John was swallowing him whole and Alex quietly sighed into it. He spread his legs for John more, and cupped a hand at the back of his boyfriend's head, relaxing into the warmth of his mouth. John sucked as he pulled back and swirled his tongue around the tip each time, bobbing forward suddenly after each drag. Alex felt himself growing harder, felt himself wanting to buck into John's mouth but he kept still and breathed through it. If he jerked around he'd hurt himself and then John would stop, and he did not want John to stop.

But as his stomach began to tighten,and the injured muscles reminded him that this was not his smartest idea, he tugged gently at John's ponytail to catch his attention. "Okay," Alex panted, "you're right; we gotta stop..."

"Told you so," John murmured against his thigh. He kissed up and around the wound, careful to be feather light at the sensitive area. "Are you okay? How bad does it feel?"

"My ego is more hurt then my body is right now," Alex replied. "This sucks, my first birthday with you and I can't even get a blowjob..."

"I think you'll survive."

"Nooo, I'm gunna die..." He sighed as he cupped the back of John's head while he went back to wiping off the extra soap along his body. "This year is gunna suck."

"Don't say that," John chided as he finished rising Alex off. "You sound like me, and I'm pessimistic for the both of us."

"But I've gotten a blowjob for my birthday every year since I was 17, and that was just from people that I worked with and stuff! You're my first, like, _real_ boyfriend. I feel like if we can't do something like a simple blowjob on my birthday then we're like, just fucking around and not serious..."

"Maybe the reason you can't get a blowjob from me on your birthday is because you weren't serious with any of those other people, but now you are with me so it's time to break tradition and start some new ones," John comforted.

"Now you sound like me," Alex replied with a small smile.

"Guess we're rubbing off on each other."

"Yeah, that's not the only thing I wanna rub off on you."

"Okay," John said as he got to his feet and went to fetch some clothes for Alex. "That's enough of that talk, we have dinner guests over. I literally invited your baby mama over so you need to behave, ya horn dog."

"You know it's funny, I thought I wouldn't miss doing the porn, but here we are five weeks later and I feel so damn pent up."

"Well, you haven't been allowed to have any sex for three weeks either, Alex. Of course you feel pent up, hunny."

"Damn stitches," Alex pouted.

"Please don't damn the stitches, love. They literally saved your life." He stooped down to first cover each of his boyfriend's feet with a pair of fizzy socks, then helped Alex into his pants, holding open each pant leg and guiding Alex's feet through them so they would sit flat against the ground again. On the count of three he helped his boyfriend stand again, still that gasp of pain irking them both, then bent to pull both the underwear and jeans up in one swift movement. He buttoned and zipped up Alex's fly, as Alex himself wrapped his arms around John's neck and smiled at him.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey?" John replied.

"What would be the odds I could just keep you here all to myself and we forget whoever else is out there for a while more?"

"Is that what you wanted?" John asked, a hint of panic in his voice. "Just a quiet evening with me?!"

"It's what I thought would happen when I realized you had no idea it was my birthday this morning, but you know what? You went out, and you made me dinner, and you invited some people over, and I have a feeling you're one of the best boyfriends I could have asked for."

"Really?" John replied, relaxing a little.

"Yeah. And you're right, we should be starting our own new traditions with each other."

"Got anything in mind?" John asked as he reached for the shirt Alex had asked for.

"I do," Alex replied with an almost mischievous grin. "But I think you're gunna wanna hear about it after dinner. I guess we have a party to go catch now, huh?"

"Heh, we do. Can't throw a birthday party and not have the birthday boy show up."

"Yeah, yeah..." Alex sighed. He squeezed at John's hand a bit tho, happy to just have him near.

* * *

"WILL YOU STOP PUTTING DOWN RAUNCHY WORDS?!"

"Sorry, I saw an opportunity and I took it!"

"You said we had to play in English, Thomas. Cunnilingus is an English word."

"Oh really, what's it's meaning then, Laf?"

"I do not know, that is on Alex."

"It's the proper name of performing oral sex on a woman. Frankly I'm a little surprised Thomas knows it was a naughty word."

"I Know How To Please A Woman!"

"Hey, so do I."

"So do I."

"I guess the real question is, does Thomas know how to please a man?"

"Oh! That is a very good question Alex! Who do you think would know?"

"James?"

"...Y'all can stare at me like that as much as you want, I'm never gunna tell you what Thomas is like for me in bed."

"At least SOMEONE has some goddamn decency around here."

"Aww, James! You're killing me!"

John smiled lightly as he listened to his boyfriend banter with their friends. The small grimaces of pain Alex still expressed from time to time as he moved worried him, but they weren't nearly as bad as the involuntarily gasps of pain he'd had before. He figured it was a combination of the percocet doing it's job and Alex just genuinely enjoying himself. Which was good, John wanted Alex to enjoy himself, it was his birthday after all.

He gently ran his hand up Alex's arm, and smiled more fully when Alex turned to look at him. If someone had told him five months ago that he'd be sitting here, in his own apartment, with the man of his literal wildest fantasies settled next to him and living the domestic bliss life, then John would have laughed in their face and called them batshit insane. John almost couldn't believe they'd even made it. He leaned in and kissed Alex, just needing to appreciate that he was real.

"Want anymore coffee?" he asked Alex as he went to stand up, indicating the mug he'd drained shortly after John had given him it an hour ago.

"You gave me decafe," Alex pretended to whine. "Will you make me regular?"

John chuckled. "Not this close to bed. I want you to go to sleep sometime before the sun comes up, Alex. Besides, you really shouldn't be drinking a lot of caffeine right now."

"I know." Alex kissed at his fingertips, then let John go. "I'll be fine."

"Jesus," Thomas said, checking his phone. "Is it that late already?"

"Quarter to eleven," James replied with a little yawn. "We should probably get going soon. I have work tomorrow."

"Aww, but I was just starting to kick Thomas's ass!" Alex whined for real.

"No you weren't!" the Virginian snapped. "You cheat with the damn French!"

"Words is words, _mon amie_ ," Lafayette teased. He hugged Alex first and wished him another happy birthday, then let him go so James could give Alex his own hug. Thomas more awkwardly bumped fists with Alex, and patted him once on the back before making his way over to peel Lafayette away from assaulting John with kisses. A few moments later, after they called their goodbyes, John waved them off from their front door and he finally shut it with a sigh.

"Alone at last."

John looked back to where his boyfriend sat on their couch and chuckled at the so called seductive look Alex flashed him. The man wiggled his eyebrows and kissed at the air, something that on anyone else John would have rolled his eyes and turned away from but coming from Alex he couldn't help but laugh. "What's that look about?" he asked, shutting the door and making sure to lock the deadbolt and chain.

"Oh, I think you should come over here and find out."

"It looks like maybe it's a sexy look," John teased.

"Maybe it is."

"Are you flirting with me?"

Alex reached for John as he stepped closer, cupping his hands on either side of John's hips and smiling up at him. "Nah, if I was flirting with you I'd ask if you come around these parts often..." He kissed John's stomach, feeling his belly button under the curtain of shirt. "Do you?"

John laughed, tickled by Alex's words. "I do. This is one of my favorite places. I come here and hang out with my boyfriend all the time."

"You have a boyfriend?" Alex asked, faking shocked surprise. "Is he as cute as me?"

"No, he's cuter. And I love him very, very much."

"Awww, I love you too, babe." Alex nuzzled at John's waist, sliding his hands up to the waistband of his pants and tucking each of his index fingers into them. He both heard and felt the way John inhaled sharply, and Alex looked back up in a sweet a way as he could when he asked, "can we?"

John looked nervous. He knew what Alex was asking for, but he wasn't sure if they were ready. Doing this now made everything official, made his relationship with Alex _real_ , and _his_ and...John's heart raced just thinking what a big step that was. He wanted too, oh god he wanted too so bad, but he still had that bothersome voice at the back of his mind telling him that Alex was only tolerating him now because the injury prevented him from leaving John; that it was simply more convenient for Alex to just put up with him so John would take care of him then trying to do the same things by himself. His discomfort must've shown on his face because after a moment Alex disappointingly looked away as he pulled his fingers from John's waist. "You don't want to yet," he sighed. "That's okay, we can wait."

"It's not that," John replied. He cupped Alex's face in his hands and turned him gently to look back up at him. "I do want to...but...your stitches..."

"John, we don't have to have penetrative sex," Alex said with a little smirk. "Can we just...try a little bit? For my birthday?"

"What did you have in mind?"

Alex smiled seductively again, this time in a way that actually made John blush as he tapped his fingertips along the edge of John's pants, bringing them forward to the button and fly in the front. "May I?" he asked, his voice low and sultry as a finger traced the button holding his pants closed. John felt almost hypnotized as he nodded in approval but Alex waited, perhaps to tease him some, until John gave the same verbal response. "Tell me when you want me to stop," Alex reminded him, and popped the button before slowly pulling down the zipper of his fly.

John closed his eyes tried to take slow steady breaths as Alex kissed down from his navel, pulling his pants down just enough to wiggle a certain part of himself nearly free. Boxers still kept him contained but John felt his penis perking up at the attention. He leaned a hand out and braced himself against the wall so he wouldn't fall over into his boyfriend, then reached up to stoke at Alex's hair. Alex hummed a bit of approval and John let out a little moan.

Alex hooked his fingers in the elastic of John's underwear and pulled those down until he could fish John's member out in it's entirety. He kissed down the top of it's length, and ran a thumb up underneath. Right where the head became shaft, Alex held his thumb and applied the smallest amount of pressure, rubbing right there until the gasps John gave him were almost vocal. Then he let up, just enough to let John recover. No sense in making his boyfriend come so soon. Alex wanted to play.

Alex flicked his tongue over his own lips before he kissed the tip of John, then slid his lips around him. He curled his tongue around John's cock as he swallowed him, moving slow now and taking John in a little bit at a time. His boyfriend moaned and tried to push into it, but Alex caught him by his hips and pulled back with the movement, teasingly punishing John for his eagerness. But John seemed to pick up what Alex wanted, it wasn't about getting to the fucking. This was Alexander's way of making love to him when they couldn't, this was Alex showing him he cared as much as John did about their new relationship. He didn't want John to take control, he wanted John to stand there and let Alex have his way with him and John moaned even deeper as he realized this once Alex had swallowed all of him.

Alex took a long slow drag on John's cock, sucking on it as he pulled away and feeling it grow more aroused between his lips. When he was nearly at the tip he used that suction and the lubrication of his saliva to slide John back inside quickly, and started the process over again. Pulling away slowly and sucking him back in quickly. The tip if his tongue applied a soft pressure to the underside of John's shaft as they moved, it's velvety softness sliding along the skin and finding that little area that made John's gasps come quick and frantic almost instantly every time it got to his tip. Alex loved hearing John gasp like that, but he had to go slow, and remind himself that they wouldn't be playing with his own penis tonight; not when the little bit of tightening in his own abdomen was causing him pain.

When Alex gasped himself and let John go, grimacing and panting against his boyfriend's stomach, John was quick to let go of the wall and cup both his hands around Alex's head, messaging him at the back of his neck. "Oh sweetheart, are you okay?" he asked worriedly. "Want me to get you some more medicine? Should we move you to a different position?"

"I'm fine," Alex replied, tho he could hear the tightness in his own voice. He kissed at John's stomach, nuzzling the hem of his shirt out of the way so he could feel John's skin. "It's just a little spasm. It'll pass."

"I know you, Alex; please don't push yourself here," John said. He ran a hand up and over Alex's head, combing fingers through his silky hair and Alex sighed contently. "If you're hurting, we need to stop."

"I'm not," Alex responded, sounding almost like a child. "And," he went on with a cocky little smirk, "I'm not the one whose gunna be putting on a show tonight."

"You think I'm gunna put on a show for you?" John asked, a smile tugging at his lips as the man sitting before him smiled up at him more naturally. "I threw you a whole birthday party, cooked a big meal, made you a cake and you still demand more of me?"

"It's my birthday," Alex said, as if that was all the excuse he needed. "Besides," he went on, kissing at John's still hard cock. "What are you gunna do about this without me?"

"I could figure something out," John grunted.

"Or you could let me keep playing." Alex took him again and swallowed him whole, enjoying the way John hissed in need above him. He let him go just as quickly, kissing John's tip before looking up again. "Go get me a toy from my nightstand and some lube, please."

"You're serious about doing this, aren't you?"

"Unless you don't want to?"

John bit lightly at his lower lip for a minute, god Alex wondered if he knew how hot that made him look, before he bent and kissed his boyfriend's forehead and darted off. Alex took the moment of reprieve to lean back and breathe, cupping a hand gently over his side where the stitches in his abdomen were. He thought of Ben for just a moment, all the times Alex would push to be hit a little too hard, tied a little too tight, punished a little too roughly. It all felt different then actually being hurt, with a real wound that was asking him why in the fuck he was working himself up right now when he needed to rest.

But Alex was a restless person. All this bed rest was driving him crazy, and John's wound-to-tightly state as he tried to make Alex as comfortable as possible all the time was starting to irk him. Not enough that he wanted to pick a fight, but Alex for sure was gunna use this birthday excuse to try to drive some sense into John that he needed to relax and let them both live a little. He smiled as John came back into the living room with the items he'd asked for but it was almost wiped off entirely as John also set down Alex's percocet bottle and a glass of water. "You should take that other half of the pill I gave you earlier," John said as he poured out the medication into his hand and fished out the little half he was looking for.

"You know why I love you?" Alex asked as he obediently took the medicine John handed him. He put it in his mouth and gratefully accepted the water, drinking the whole glass before handing it back. "You're really good about taking care of other people, John."

John smiled bashfully. "You do the same you know."

"I do?"

"Mmhmmm," John nodded. He held up the toy for Alex to examine. "Is this one good?"

"You tell me, do you like that one?"

"I guess it'll do..."

"You guess?" Alex chuckled. "Well go pick one you like."

"No, I mean...I don't think I'll like it as much as I'd like to have you..."

Alex smiled, realizing John was flirting with him. "Well, let's see if I can't make it your favorite. Slide your pants off and lemme get a look at you."

"You know," John said as he slipped his hands down the front of his jeans to fondle himself, "When I watched your performances for me I was naked."

"Oh, were you?"

"Mmhmmm, nearly every one of them."

"What did you do to yourself while you watched me?"

John lifted the hem of his shirt, and slipped his thumbs under the waist band of his pants. Slowly be undid the button and then peeled the zipper down. He felt awkward, with Alex watching him, but he could also feel a warmth flooding in his cheeks and a stiffness coming into being inside his pants. How many times had he watched Alex undress himself, touch himself, pleasure himself, all for John's secret entertainment? There was a twisted kind of happy irony that it was John's turn to put on a show, and even though he was nervous, he still had that desire to please. He ran his thumbs around the band of his pants once, then slowly slid the jeans down his hips until they fell to the floor under their own weight. He ran his hands back up the flesh of his thighs, hitching the fabric of his boxers up, trying not to think of the way the scar tissue crisscrossed his skin. Alex knew of these flaws, and yet Alex still loved him.

His fingers let go of his boxers, instead catching the hem of his shirt again, slowly lifting it up to expose the skin underneath. His arms folded around his head, pulling the shirt upward still until it came free, and then it too slid off his arms. He stepped out of his jeans, padding barefoot a few steps, and trailing his hands all along his exposed flesh with feather light touches. Alex's smile widened as John hooked his fingers under the elastic band of his boxers, pushing them down, bending to follow them all the way down to the floor and oh, Alex wished he'd made John turn around so he could see his boyfriend's ass as he bent. And then John rose back up, shy and unsure under his boyfriend's gaze and instinctively he tried to cover parts of himself he was ashamed of.

Alex was pleased to see his handiwork hadn't been undone, especially once John handed him the phallic toy and reached his hands behind his neck to start messaging himself this time. "Remember how I wanted you to just show me your naked body? I'd pretend I was exploring you like this..." John slid his hands slowly down his shoulders, closing his eyes and feeling the familiarity of his own hands trailing around his blushing skin. He circled pert nipples and pinched at one while the other hand moved down his stomach, finding the tip of his erection and flicking past it teasingly. He bit his lip thinking of how Alex was watching him now, hoping he wasn't boring the fuck of of him.

But Alex watched with a rapt fascination as John teased himself. Alex knew all the tricks to turn himself on, knew all the ways to pose and position and posture himself to please another, but he realized then he'd never really let anyone try the same things out on him. John wasn't a professional, not by a long shot, but the almost too shy way he ghosted his hands over his own thighs was something Alex found endearing. He moved slowly and deliberately, but not in anyway unsure of what he wanted, sliding his hand up the length of his own cock and squeezing himself til he gasped the way Alex liked and pearls of precum beaded up at his tip.

Alex leaned forward and kissed that deep pink tip again, flicking his tongue over it and taking a taste of the salty sweetness of his juices. John slid his hand back and Alex followed it down with his mouth again. This time he let John buck a little back and forth into him, bobbing along to fuel that need. He left the toy on the couch for a moment and reached up again, running his hands up John's thighs, over his hips and coming around to cup his buttocks, squeezing the padded flesh to hear John groan with pleasure from it. Alex kneaded at the cheeks then pulled them apart, spreading John in anticipation of what he had in mind. "Ohhh, are you gunna fuck me, Alex?" John moaned for him. "Are you gunna fuck me good?"

He slipped John from his mouth, pulling back some. "Turn around," Alex ordered. "Put your hands on the table."

John obliged, bending his knees slightly until Alex moved him to hold them as straight as he could. He spread John apart again and wasted no time dragging his tongue between John's cheeks. His boyfriend gasped a little in surprise, and called "Ah-Alex!"

"Yeah?" he replied, kissing John's ass. "Is it okay?"

"Mmmm..." John's voice came back, clearly trying to make a choice he wasn't sure of. "I thought you were gunna use the toy?"

"I will," Alex told him. "Let me just have some fun. Tell me if you don't like it, we can stop."

John sighed and tried to relax, feeling his boyfriend's tongue flick against his anus once more. It wasn't bad, and he'd done this before, but he always had mixed feelings about asking for it. John didn't like giving rim jobs, it wasn't what he was into...but _getting_ them...feeling Alex's tongue wiggle it's way inside him, feeling himself being spread apart and wetted down, oh it made him hard. His cock twitched underneath him, but John held onto the table and let Alex work. He let himself gasp with each breath, holding still on tense legs as he was invaded and explored. It was the best kind of foreplay for John who felt like no one who only wanted him for a fun time and nothing more time would ever do this for him. Alex loved him. Alex really loved him.

He was getting ready to cum, and he moaned for it, feeling Alex flick about. But then his boyfriend stopped and John whimpered. He pumped at his own erection, but he wanted the feeling of something in his ass to fill him. "Alex," he whined, "I need you inside me...I need something..."

"Hang on," Alex told him. He pulled John's hand away, much tho John's protesting. "I know," Alex told him, kissing one of his cheeks. "I know you're almost there John, but not yet. I'm not done with you yet, just you wait."

John waited as patiently as he could, eventually feeling the rubber tip of that toy he'd picked out rubbing against his ass. Alex spread him out with one hand and pushed the slicked dong inside John slowly. They didn't go very far before Alex pulled it out and applied more lube, sliding it back in and pushing a little further this time. Each time he went in til John would grunt in discomfort and then Alex would wait, stroking John's dick with his slick hand while he let John adjust. The toy pushed against John's prostate and he buckled some, feeling pleasure really start to permeate his body. Alex waited a moment, letting John find his bearings before he started thrusting the toy for John, reaching around to handle his cock with smooth strokes as well.

He bucked with Alex's rhythm, finding a grinding they could enjoy that was steady and controlled. Alex kept John near his edge, listening to him keen and mewl for guidance, but didn't push him over it. If he couldn't be the one inside John tonight, he at least wanted his boyfriend to feel like he'd been fucked good and hard. He clicked on the toy's lowest vibration, hearing it whirl to life and seeing John buck an little more frantic with the added stimulation. But Alex slowed his pace and kept John right where he wanted him, cusping on completion as he worked him over.

"Nhgh," John grunted, again his pace trying to pick up speed. "Alex...Alex, no more...please..."

"You, want to stop?" Alex asked him, a little surprised.

But John shook his head. "I want...I want to cum...fuck me harder...faster...please..."

Alex chuckled darkly. "You want to cum? But what if I wasn't finished with you yet?"

John gave a loud and nearly frustrated cry. "God, Alexander!" he almost screamed, bucking frantically and trying to find a way to get the toy to move the right way inside himself. "Please, please, please!"

"Stand up and turn around for me," Alex said. John obliged nearly immediately, and Alex pulled his hands forward before John had a chance to reach of either his throbbing cock or the toy driving him crazy. He kissed at John's hands then let them take hold of his hair as he reached for John's hips again and pulled him forward. He made John climb onto the couch, straddling him in an almost awkward hover, but firmly rooted John's posture over his. He took hold of the toy in one hand and began pumping the freed dick with his other. "Bounce, hunny. Bounce for me til you cum."

John's pace was all at once frantic. He stared down at his boyfriend's face, moaning for him, gasping for him, loving him as he let John fuck himself in his favorite position. Alex held the toy still for him and let John ride it as if he were riding him. It was only a moment or two before John threw is head back and cried out his orgasm, spilling himself in his boyfriend's hand, his semen squirting out as Alex pumped him. His hands tightened in Alex's hair, pulling for a moment as John rolled his eyes back and his whole body tightened, but Alex hardly cared. He let go of his boyfriend's cock to catch him before he leaned too far back and pulled them both off the couch, holding John steady, pulling the toy out when he felt John coming down from his experience. John panted in complicity , slowly releasing his too hard girp on Alex's hair, bringing his head down to bump it's forehead against his sweet loving boyfriend who smiled up at him as John panted. "Satisfied?" Alex asked of him, kissing at his nose.

"I'm satisfied," John said. He felt heavy and sleepy, but he grunted and forced himself to keep his eyes open. They were still on the couch. Alex was now covered in his semen and John had lube slowly leaking out his ass. It would not be ideal to just fall asleep there. "C'mon," he sighed, moving carefully to get up. "We should get you to bed..."

"Me? I'm not the one who needs sleep," Alex said with a grin.

"Oh hush," John groaned. He held out his hands for Alex to take, pulling him up on their routine count of three now. Alex met him with a kiss on his mouth John wasn't expecting and they held each other for a moment, making out like exploitative teenagers. But then John pulled away with a, "you stuck your tongue in my ass!"

"Did you like it?" Alex asked, genuinely curious.

"You're not supposed to go ass to mouth!"

"But did you _like_ it?" Alex repeated with a laugh now.

"I'm not answering that," John said, pretending to be mad as he herded Alex toward the bedroom. "You'll think you can get away with it all the time if I do."

"Well, that's not a no," Alex teased.

It took John a moment to get his boyfriend dressed for bed and then back into bed as Alex kept kissing John's hands and chest while he worked. John cleaned himself with the wash cloth they'd left soaking in the now cold water of Alex's sponge bath and pulled his own set of pajamas on. "Hey," Alex greeted him as he finally agreed to leave everything else to be cleaned in the morning and crawled into bed next to his boyfriend.

"Hey," John said, tired and ready to go to sleep. "What else you need, love?"

"I need you to know I love you," Alex replied. "Do you know that?"

"I do now," John replied. "You know what else?"

"What?"

"I love you too, Alex."

Alex smiled and ran a thumb down John's cheek. "Thank you for tonight."

"Did you have fun?"

"Of course. Did you?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

"...Alex?"

"Hmm?"

"Happy 22nd birthday."

Alex smiled as he traced along John's arm and felt his boyfriend snuggle closer to him. He had a feeling it was going to be a very good year.


End file.
